irit re-asserted
itself. She would go through the day carrying aloft her banner of
self-respect. She would march to battle as if to the sound of music.
As she made this resolution, a murmur of almost horror reached her
from outside the church. She hastened to the porch in time to see
that Blaisette was crying.

"What is it?" she whispered to Perrin Corbet, who, all unnoticed,
had kept close to her during the ceremony.

"It's that she has remembered suddenly she came to the church a
different way from what she does on Sundays. And of course we know
it's dreadful bad luck, poor girl! It's certain there'll be
something happen before the year is out."

A gleam of joy lit up Ellenor's pale face.

"Come along, Perrin, let's be off to Orvilliere--there's not too
much time before dinner."

Corbet looked at her doubtfully.

"But, aren't you going to put on a different gown?"

"And, pray, _impudant_, why, I'd like to know! This one is silk, and
what more do you want?"

"It's the colour I don't like! Scarlet for a day like this! You
ought to be in white."

But Ellenor only laughed at him. Not she give up her scarlet gown
made of silk that Dominic had given her one night in the Haunted
House!

Orvilliere Farm was gay, outside and in, with garlands and crowns of
flowers; and in the kitchen and in the field beside the house,
tables were laid for the customary dinner of roast beef and mutton,
plum pudding and _gache a corinthe_. Cider flowed liberally; and,
after dinner, the guests were in fitting mood for the games that
followed till tea-time. Then all the evening long, dancing waxed
fast and furious, with intervals for songs. Dominic delighted the
company by giving Ellenor a sounding kiss when she chose him for her
partner in--

"Saluez, messieurs et dames,
Ah! mon beau laurier!"

and all the company then shouted in chorus--

"Entr'embrassez-vous par le jeu d'amourette,
Entr'embrassez-vous par le jeu d'amour."

But it is certain Ellenor would not have dared to choose the
bridegroom had he not been half drunk. Perrin Corbet, a sober man
himself, looked on in disgust; and glanced at Blaisette to see how
she took it. But she was giggling as usual, and drinking mulled wine
from one of the new wedding cups.

At five in the morning the wedding party broke up; and all the
guests said that Ellenor Cartier was a shameless girl. Perrin heard
and clenched his fist.

CHAPTER V.

"Quick! get up,